Am I being conned by Toyota?

Monife

Hi,

My car is 3 years old and it went in for service today to the same garage I brought it to last year. Last year I need 1 new tyre because a nail was stuck in it and wiper blades (after only being 2 years old) and some other engine thing (about 40euro, forget the name of it).

Today the guy said I need a new left front tyre as the thread depth is low. Can this be right? There is about 39,000km on it and my husband drives it to work and back every day (only 10 minute journey). I only use it for grocery shopping and the odd 30/40km round trip, no more than once a month, if even. It is due for its first NCT next December 2014 and I am thinking of leaving it until then.

Any help would be much appreciated.

dougie-lampkin

Why don't you measure the thread depth and see for yourself?

MuppetCheck

39k and if the tyre has never been replaced previously it is entirely reasonable that it required replacement. I would however measure the thread depth of the tyre (it's simple to do). Turn the wheel and look at it on both outer edges and the middle in case one part is worn unevenly. There are also wear indicators in between the grooves.

If it needs replacement it should be replaced. I cant understand why it would be put off.

Paddy@CIRL

Tyres do wear and 39,000KM is good going. I presume it's the 'other' front tyre and not the one that was replaced last year?

Interslice

A tyre is illegal if you reach these markers. About 1mm above them a tyre will perform poorly.

Dr. Kenneth Noisewater

That happened to me before, specific tyres may wear on one side more than the other 3 corners for any number of reasons from road conditions to the way you drive your car.

In my case, the road leading up to my estate was a left turn off the main road and up a steep hill, my driver's side front tyre was worn from cornering slightly hard giving the car acceleration needed to get up the hill.

If you're not sure, check it yourself, although I wouldn't imagine its something they'd try to con you on as its easy to check.

biko

Indeed, measure all the tyres. If one is more worn it can mean some problems.
You can use a coin in the centre grooves and get a feeling for if the tyres are different.
If they are you can use a proper gauge from some factors.

Fatswaldo

39000 is good going for any tyre. Example of tyre wear indicators attached. If it is worn get prices from tyre specialist too - not just the dealer. Can be a huge diference for the same tyre.

Monife

Thanks for all the quick replies. Will use the coin idea. How often do tyres normally need to be replaced? In my last car, I was only told by a garage to replace all of them after 9 years.

Monife

Fatswaldo wrote: »

39000 is good going for any tyre. Example of tyre wear indicators attached. If it is worn get prices from tyre specialist too - not just the dealer. Can be a huge diference for the same tyre.

Thanks. What would be the average price of a tyre? Toyota quoted me €90. If I bought a different tyre to the other 3 already on the car, would that cause any problems?

You can tell I know nothing about cars.

Damien360

Monife wrote: »

Thanks for all the quick replies. Will use the coin idea. How often do tyres normally need to be replaced? In my last car, I was only told by a garage to replace all of them after 9 years.

Depends on the tyre and your driving style. Also, tyres have a lifespan. They will deteriorate over time as the rubber compound changes regardless of mileage.

I usually go through Bridgestones every 40,000km. Do not wait until they are bald. They are are safety device and your only contact with the road.

nc19

Monife wrote: »

Thanks for all the quick replies. Will use the coin idea. How often do tyres normally need to be replaced? In my last car, I was only told by a garage to replace all of them after 9 years.

Tyres need to replaced as and when they are in such a condition that warrents new tyres...... its as simple as that. There is no milage scale. Different brands wear differently. Sooooo many different factors decide the life of a tyre.

Fatswaldo

Price depends on the tyre size & rating. Ask the garage to let you know the tyre they are quoting for then ring a local tyre place - lots to chose from. Alternately, drive up to the local tyre depot and ask them - even if there's no difference in price it won't hurt to ask and you'll know your paying the going rate

Toyotafanboi

conned by Toyota? you have to laugh!

3 year old car with 40k on the clock, needs one tyre replaced as it's below the safe limit and the owner is thinking of holding off on replacing it until the cars next NCT in 12 months time!

typical Irish motoring.

yes op, you are definitely being scammed.

Tails142

Threads like this make me worry about the people I share the road with.

Roger Mellie Man on the Telly

Please replace the tyre now if it needs it. Worn tyres greatly increase stopping distances in the wet. Unless you are one of the 'I don't give a ****' types of course!

GTE

Toyotafanboi wrote: »

conned by Toyota? you have to laugh!

3 year old car with 40k on the clock, needs one tyre replaced as it's below the safe limit and the owner is thinking of holding off on replacing it until the cars next NCT in 12 months time!

typical Irish motoring.

yes op, you are definitely being scammed.

Over the course of 12 months I have been told of the following main dealer service incidents from friends and family.

- Gave a car 10,000 miles of health with brakes in worse condition this


Pads were also worn very badly.

- Told the owner that a car would pass the NCT, which then failed on a cracked wishbone.

- Asked the owner for the go ahead to replaced a steering rack to fix a knock. Owner says no, goes to another garage and a new shock mount fixes everything.

- Replaces a battery with on a car to fix electrical issues. Doesnt work, replaces an alternator with a broken one, charges for the old working one to up put back on. Possible costs of 2000 upwards and another garage fixes all electrical issues with a new, OEM battery, which the main dealer didnt use in the first place.

I think a distrust or at least scepticism of the industry is fair.

Toyotafanboi

Roger Mellie Man on the Telly wrote: »

Please replace the tyre now if it needs it. Worn tyres greatly increase stopping distances in the wet. Unless you are one of the 'I don't give a ****' types of course!

ah it'd surely keep another 12 months to the next NCT :rolleyes:

the_syco

Monife wrote: »

In my last car, I was only told by a garage to replace all of them after 9 years.

Are you sure they didn't say 9 months?

Toyotafanboi

bbk wrote: »

Over the course of 12 months I have been told of the following main dealer service incidents from friends and family.

...yada yada yada...

i'm not being Toyota defensive as it could be any dealer of any franchise in question before someone says it.

but did you read the OP?

GTE

Toyotafanboi wrote: »

i'm not being Toyota defensive as it could be any dealer of any franchise in question before someone says it.

but did you read the OP?

Why, ya know what? Yes I did!

What is your point?

Toyotafanboi

bbk wrote: »

Why, ya know what? Yes I did!

What is your point?

That there is a huge difference and no real relevance between what you said and what's being discussed.

you had a dealer tell you everything was ok when it wasn't.

the op has a different dealer telling them that they need a tyre replaced. and given the information (3 year old car, original front tyre with 40k kms on it) it sounds more than plausible.

you might have had poor service from a dealership by the sounds of it, but lets not tar the industry all with the one brush?

Drummerboy08

Tyres are subject to many different criteria.

Type of car
Weight of car
Type and make of tyre
Driving style
Area the car is driven in
And a few more

On average you should see 30,000km from the fronts and 60,000km from the rear.

9 years sounds like an awful long time to me. Remember, tyres can wear from usage but also time and age.

GTE

Toyotafanboi wrote: »

That there is a huge difference and no real relevance between what you said and what's being discussed.

you had a dealer tell you everything was ok when it wasn't.

the op has a different dealer telling them that they need a tyre replaced. and given the information (3 year old car, original front tyre with 40k kms on it) it sounds more than plausible.

you might have had poor service from a dealership by the sounds of it, but lets not tar the industry all with the one brush?

Aghast! Some worthwhile content! Firstly, none of that were my personal dealings, just Leinster based from friends and family.

Now moving on from your assumptions, the OP who was concerned about being sold a tyre when it was not needed. Clearly, the OP was ignorant of basic car care given that they were willing to wait another 12 months, but they saw the sense to ask here and have been educated on the matter.

The lack of knowledge I mention is a separate issue to why the OP was iffy about what was being told to her by the dealer, which is what you are taking exception with. We are dealing with two problems. One is that the OP could be an example of ignorance in Irish motorists in a very general sense. But of course, you are not a fan of tar

Toyotafanboi wrote:

typical Irish motoring

The second problem is that despite the serious (and now solved) issue with OP knowledge, there is a scepticism that dealers face in modern Ireland. As I am sure you can think of in your head (but I think probably will not admit for the sake of a keyboard bash) of a selection of bad stories about something which has made you reevaluate the sometimes blind trust that is given in certain situations. Maybe you misunderstood me that I had said that 100% of all dealers are dodgy? That is of course utter rubbish, but you can not expect to go into these situations blind.

Good on the OP for posting anyway, at least now they can take some basics from it.

Voodoomelon

Great to see a driver relying on an annual service to tell them if their tyres need replacing.

Alun

Monife wrote: »

Thanks for all the quick replies. Will use the coin idea. How often do tyres normally need to be replaced? In my last car, I was only told by a garage to replace all of them after 9 years.

:eek: 9 year old tyres, regardless of how much tread (please note, NOT thread :rolleyes:) they have will be ready for the scrap heap. The recommendation is not to exceed 6 years from date of manufacture (not necessarily the same as when you had them fitted.)

Cabaal

Im very scared that a person sees nothing wrong with thinking they can keep tyres for 9 years,

Toyotafanboi

Firstly, none of that were my personal dealings, just Leinster based from friends and family.

hearsay in other words.

Now moving on from your assumptions, the OP who was concerned about being sold a tyre when it was not needed. Clearly, the OP was ignorant of basic car care given that they were willing to wait another 12 months, but they saw the sense to ask here and have been educated on the matter.

so ignorant of basic car care that they felt that needing a tyre, just one, replaced after 40k (cost, lets say €60-70) was a scam. that is a bold statement for someone so clearly un-educated in car care to make.

The lack of knowledge I mention is a separate issue to why the OP was iffy about what was being told to her by the dealer, which is what you are taking exception with. We are dealing with two problems. One is that the OP could be an example of ignorance in Irish motorists in a very general sense. But of course, you are not a fan of tar

i think the statement i made is fair. if someone told me my car had what is most certainly a primary safety issue and to rectify it entirely would cost just €60. i don't think i would hesitate for too long, never mind let my first assumption be that it is a scam.

As I am sure you can think of in your head (but I think probably will not admit for the sake of a keyboard bash) of a selection of bad stories about something which has made you reevaluate the sometimes blind trust that is given in certain situations. Maybe you misunderstood me that I had said that 100% of all dealers are dodgy? That is of course utter rubbish, but you can not expect to go into these situations blind.

i agree, not all dealers are great, you read about it here every day and i've been there myself first hand. but i believe that they should certainly be "iinnocent until proven guilty"[/QUOTE]

Toyotafanboi

Firstly, none of that were my personal dealings, just Leinster based from friends and family.

hearsay in other words.

Now moving on from your assumptions, the OP who was concerned about being sold a tyre when it was not needed. Clearly, the OP was ignorant of basic car care given that they were willing to wait another 12 months, but they saw the sense to ask here and have been educated on the matter.

so ignorant of basic car care that they felt that needing a tyre, just one, replaced after 40k (cost, lets say €60-70) was a scam. that is a bold statement for someone so clearly un-educated in car care to make.

The lack of knowledge I mention is a separate issue to why the OP was iffy about what was being told to her by the dealer, which is what you are taking exception with. We are dealing with two problems. One is that the OP could be an example of ignorance in Irish motorists in a very general sense. But of course, you are not a fan of tar

i think the statement i made is fair. if someone told me my car had what is most certainly a primary safety issue and to rectify it entirely would cost just €60. i don't think i would hesitate for too long, never mind let my first assumption be that it is a scam.

As I am sure you can think of in your head (but I think probably will not admit for the sake of a keyboard bash) of a selection of bad stories about something which has made you re-evaluate the sometimes blind trust that is given in certain situations. Maybe you misunderstood me that I had said that 100% of all dealers are dodgy? That is of course utter rubbish, but you can not expect to go into these situations blind.

i agree, not all dealers are great, you read about it here every day and i've been there myself first hand. but i believe that they should certainly be "iinnocent until proven guilty"[/QUOTE]

debabyjesus

These threads come up every single day. Its scary. If its not people blowing up engines through lack of basic checks its other people thinking they are being scammed into paying for the most basic of basic maintenance.

I'd hate to be a business trying to deal with these people.

The brother told me he saw a half flat tyre on a car while filling diesel in his own car. He said it to the middle aged owner of the car when she returned. She thought he worked in the garage and was trying to sell her a tyre. Turns out she didn't even know tyres could be/are inflated, let alone how to do it... Bunch of kids in the car an all. I'd say that level of ignorance is more common than we think.

Monife

Tails142 wrote: »

Threads like this make me worry about the people I share the road with.

That's not nice. Just because I don't know the ins and outs of how a car functions does not make me a bad road user. I always refill the oil etc and keep the tyres inflated to the required level and if anything sounds/looks wrong, I bring it to the garage. Yes I rely on my annual service but at least I bring it every year unlike others.

To the poster who said the tyre was €60, I posted previously that it was €90 which is a lot of money to find in these hard times.

I have a lot of skeptism about dealers because they always charge through the roof and whenever I have got a second opinion, it turns out half the stuff wasn't needed. I read the report when I got home and it says the thread depth of said tyre is 3mm and that it is 79% worn so I will get the new tyre. It also said brake pads are 50% worn but no action required, is that ok?

Thank you for the advice.

Truckermal

90 euros in these hard times yet your driving a three year old that you purchased brand new..

Anan1

Monife wrote: »

That's not nice. Just because I don't know the ins and outs of how a car functions does not make me a bad road user. I always refill the oil etc and keep the tyres inflated to the required level and if anything sounds/looks wrong, I bring it to the garage. Yes I rely on my annual service but at least I bring it every year unlike others.

To the poster who said the tyre was €60, I posted previously that it was €90 which is a lot of money to find in these hard times.

I have a lot of skeptism about dealers because they always charge through the roof and whenever I have got a second opinion, it turns out half the stuff wasn't needed. I read the report when I got home and it says the thread depth of said tyre is 3mm and that it is 79% worn so I will get the new tyre. It also said brake pads are 50% worn but no action required, is that ok?

Thank you for the advice.

I think what you really need here is a garage you can trust. Whereabouts in Dublin are you? Re the tyres and brake pads, if the figures you were given are accurate then that's reasonable. Do be aware that tyres are often cheaper from a dedicated tyre fitter - you might give one or two a call just to see how the price compares.

Monife

Truckermal wrote: »

90 euros in these hard times yet your driving a three year old that you purchased brand new..

It was a gift from my grandmother (instead of leaving me some inheritance) if you must know.

biko

Monife wrote: »

I have a lot of skeptism about dealers because they always charge through the roof and whenever I have got a second opinion, it turns out half the stuff wasn't needed. I read the report when I got home and it says the thread depth of said tyre is 3mm and that it is 79% worn so I will get the new tyre. It also said brake pads are 50% worn but no action required, is that ok?

Thank you for the advice.

Sorry you are getting so much unnecessary stick.
We usually try to be a helpful forum but sometimes it just kicks off.

3mm is when mechs and dealers usually recommend swapping a tyre. The legal limit is 1.6mm.
Ask a few tyre places locally for a price of tyres, maybe they can make you a good deal.
The pads are fine at 50%, should last at least over the winter. You can have them checked again in spring.

I'll keep an eye on this thread from now on.

EazyD

biko wrote: »

Sorry you are getting so much unnecessary stick.
We usually try to be a helpful forum but sometimes it just kicks off.

3mm is when mechs and dealers usually recommend swapping a tyre. The legal limit is 1.6mm.
Ask a few tyre places locally for a price of tyres, maybe they can make you a good deal.
The pads are fine at 50%, should last at least over the winter. You can have them checked again in spring.

I'll keep an eye on this thread from now on.

In fairness, I don't think the jabbing from other posters is in relation to her knowledge/or lack thereof. More to do with the strong statement/accusations of being "scammed", which in this case appears completely unjustified.

Wetbench4

And it worth keeping an eye on the other front tyre as its probably not that far behind the worn one, future cost to consider.

Anan1

EazyD wrote: »

In fairness, I don't think the jabbing from other posters is in relation to her knowledge/or lack thereof. More to do with the strong statement/accusations of being "scammed", which in this case appears completely unjustified.

I've just read through all her posts, and she made no statement/accusation of being scammed. The closest she came is in this quote:

Monife wrote: »

I have a lot of skeptism about dealers because they always charge through the roof and whenever I have got a second opinion, it turns out half the stuff wasn't needed.

which, IMO at least, is hardly unwarranted.

She doesn't know much about cars so she's asking for advice - at least that's all I'm seeing here.

runawaybishop

Anan1 wrote: »

I've just read through all her posts, and she made no statement/accusation of being scammed. The closest she came is in this quote: which, IMO at least, is hardly unwarranted.

She doesn't know much about cars so she's asking for advice - at least that's all I'm seeing here.

Did you not see the thread title?

EazyD

Anan1 wrote: »

I've just read through all her posts, and she made no statement/accusation of being scammed.

Correct, she didn't state it during the thread, however the title of "Am I being conned?" can be seen to be an unwarranted accusation, which in this case turned out to be false. I very much appreciate that she is seeking advice, and that's great to hear, but I think people should be more careful than to suggest something as strong as that, especially when there is no certainty.

Anan1

runawaybishop wrote: »

Did you not see the thread title?

EazyD wrote: »

Correct, she didn't state it during the thread, however the title of "Am I being conned?" can be seen to be an unwarranted accusation, which in this case turned out to be false.

Guys, she was asking. She doesn't know enough to judge for herself, she's had some questionable experiences, and she's trying to protect herself. Let's be clear about this - people get scammed by mechanics every day - it's not an unreasonable question to ask.

georgefalls

<helpful posts only>

ninty9er

Possession of one of these in a car should be mandatory judging by this thread.

http://bit.ly/1jm0Ctl

If everyone had one there'd probably be a lot less fender benders for a start.

king_of_inismac

Amongst people on this forum, there's some very knowledgeable Motörhead's, so there's a temptation to be a little hard on someone who asks something the experts here see as very obvious.

My general approach is to remember we are all novices/ill-informed about some subjects (or in my case many many subjects) so be gentle

So to the advice:

Definitely get the tyre replaced. Get a decent brand (not a Chinese brand) and consider replacing both front tyres at the same time (if you can afford it).

Best of luck!

challengemaster

Cabaal wrote: »

Im very scared that a person sees nothing wrong with thinking they can keep tyres for 9 years,

I'm even more scared that a garage (presumably a mechanic) told someone that it was alright.

knipex

Am I totally mad or do I remember that a few years back basic knowledge of a car was made part of the driving \ theory test ??

If no then it should be..

TBi

Truckermal wrote: »

90 euros in these hard times yet your driving a three year old that you purchased brand new..

Sure buying a new Renault allows you to learn to live again... And go to the cinema and buy popcorn.

I just used the site (carculator) and apparently my 97 micra depreciates €5k per year. By this time next year someone will owe me money as I bought it for €300.

antodeco

My tyres are replaced between 20k - 25k kms. Front ones wear first, then the back, but I always replace all 4 at the same time. 39k is a decent amount of mileage and isint unreasonable to warrant a new set of tyres.

christy02

Don't forget windscreen wipers replaced after only 2 years! Definitely a scam I say!

JohnBoy26

EazyD wrote: »

Anan1 wrote: »

I've just read through all her posts, and she made no statement/accusation of being scammed.

Correct, she didn't state it during the thread, however the title of "Am I being conned?" can be seen to be an unwarranted accusation, which in this case turned out to be false. I very much appreciate that she is seeking advice, and that's great to hear, but I think people should be more careful than to suggest something as strong as that, especially when there is no certainty.

Nope that's not an accusation, it's just a question which the op is entitled to ask.

knipex

OP I dont know if you are still teading this thread but.

Tyres are a safety item and should be changed when the thread is low, the tyre wall is damaged or at least every 5 years.

Wiper blades should be changed depending on wear but generally I would recomend that they be replaced once a year..

Even if a car is not used these items need to be replaced. They start degrading from the second they are manufactured and sunlight, weather etc will allways speed this process up.

I was recently speaking to someone that had parked a car in a shed for the last 5 years.

Its going to cost them alot of money before they can put the car back on the road. 5 new tyres, new belts, wipers, filters, oil, drain the fuel tank and flush the system. New brake disks (current ones are well worn and now badly coroded). I also recomended new pads and a replacement of the brake fluid. New shocks.

By the time its all done it will cost them well over 2K.

Cars cost money to maintsin even if just parked. Some things you do not scrimp on. Tyres and brakes being top of that list.

Find a garage or a mechanic you trust. You obviously dont have any knowledge of cars (many people dont) so you need someone who does that you can trust.

Also depending on your mileage and engine you may need to be servicing the car more frequently than once a year..